1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to molding trim for doors, windows and the like, and more specifically to molding trim that attaches to a wall or other surface in a removable, snap-on manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
For those of us who have attempted to perform some home remodeling without professional assistance, the phrase "he makes it look easy" takes on a whole new meaning. Carpenters, electricians, plumbers and the like are all skilled tradesmen who spend years honing their skills to a point where professional-quality results are produced routinely in a short amount of time. However, when attempting these functions on their own, do-it-yourselfers can turn seemingly simple projects into monumental tasks which can lead to a waste of time and money as well as a great deal of frustration. A prime example of this phenomenon involves interior painting where one attempts to paint around the various window and door moldings used to trim their respective openings. In doing so, the painter often gets paint on the wood molding material, forcing them to clean the molding. Others choose to use the painstaking method of masking the trim prior to painting. Regardless, the painter spends a great deal of time navigating his or her paintbrush around the trim pieces throughout the room. Accordingly, there is a need for a means through which persons of average skill can paint a room easily, producing attractive and quality results without spending a great deal of time navigating around window and door molding. The development of the present invention fulfills this need.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, several references trim molding and other molding type devices were discovered. These devices neither anticipate nor disclose any embodiment that would preclude the novelty and the utilitarian functionality of the features of the present invention.
The following patents describe a J-trim corner piece for holding a screen frame, or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,992, issued in the name of Strick et al.; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,705, issued in the name of Guillemet. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,318 issued in the name of Anderson; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,439 issued in the name of Sakashita; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,069,289 issued in the name of Swendsen et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,884 issued in the name of Karnoski; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 378,422 issued in the name of Howe; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. Des. 175,229 issued in the name of Neufeld.
The following patents describe a corner piece for a miter joint/molding trim.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,464, issued in the name of Forster, discloses an apparatus for making corner joints for molding trim for windows, doors, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,861, issued in the name of Rasmussen, describes a trim arrangement with separate slip-fit corner pieces.
While several features exhibited within these references may be incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.